Car rental in Kutaisi from $25/day

Kutaisi is the main city of the Imereti region and its historic capital, and for most visitors the reason to come is what lies around it.

With a car you can combine two or three sights in one day and change the plan on the spot. Kutaisi is also a good starting point for a longer trip. Many visitors spend a day or two here, then drive on to Svaneti, the Black Sea coast at Batumi, or Tbilisi.

Parking is easier to find than in the capital. Many guesthouses and hotels have their own yard, so ask about parking when you book your stay. On the busiest central streets there are paid parking zones, marked with signs. Check the signs before you leave the car. Fuel stations are easy to find on the main roads in and out of the city.

• Gelati Monastery — about 11 km, 20 minutes. A UNESCO World Heritage site founded in the 12th century by King David the Builder, with medieval frescoes and the king’s tomb at the gate.
• Motsameta Monastery — on the hillside outside Kutaisi. It stands on a wooded cliff above a river gorge and is easy to combine with Gelati.
• Bagrati Cathedral — on Ukimerioni Hill in the city itself; a walk or a short taxi ride from the centre.
• Prometheus Cave — about 20 km, 25–30 minutes, near Tskaltubo. A large lit show cave with halls of stalactites; part of the tour can include a boat ride on the underground river.
• Sataplia Nature Reserve — about 10 km, about 20 minutes. Dinosaur footprints, a karst cave and a glass viewing platform.
• Tskaltubo — about 10 km, about 20 minutes. A former Soviet spa town with mineral springs and large abandoned sanatoriums.
• Martvili Canyon — about 50 km, 1–1.5 hours. A narrow limestone gorge with a short boat ride on turquoise water. In summer, come early to avoid queues for the boats.
• Okatse Canyon and Kinchkha Waterfall — about 60 km, about 1.5 hours. A metal walkway hangs on the canyon wall above the river. The Kinchkha waterfall is a short drive further on the same road.

The roads to all these sights are paved, so an ordinary car is enough.

Most visitors drive to Mestia via Zugdidi: about 230 km, 4.5–5 hours. The road to Zugdidi is a fast lowland highway. After Zugdidi the road climbs through the Enguri gorge. It is narrower and slower, but paved all the way, and an ordinary car can drive it in good weather.

Beyond Mestia, the road to Ushguli is different. Parts of it are unpaved, and snow can close it in winter. There is also a mountain road from Ushguli down to Lentekhi, with long unpaved sections, usually passable only in summer. The Mestia–Ushguli–Lentekhi route is allowed only from May to September and only for a car with the designated travel option: the rental conditions above show how many cars have it. Do not drive these roads without it. It breaks the rental terms, and the insurance may not cover damage.

• The city, the caves and canyons, the highway to Tbilisi or Batumi — any economy or mid-size car.
• Kutaisi to Mestia — any car in good condition in summer. From late autumn to spring, book winter tyres and take snow chains; both can be added as extras.
• Mestia to Ushguli, or the Lentekhi road — an SUV with four-wheel or all-wheel drive and the designated travel option, from May to September only.
• Families and groups — a minivan or a 7-seat SUV. 1,391 cars can be booked with a child seat.

You do not have to bring the car back to Kutaisi. In today’s listings, 1,489 cars can be returned in Tbilisi and 1,013 in Batumi. Any drop-off fee is shown in the offer before you book.

• To Tbilisi — about 230 km, 3.5 hours, east on the main highway across the Rikoti Pass.
• To Batumi — about 150 km, 2.5 hours, west through the lowlands and then along the Black Sea coast.